Federal E-12 Issues

MREA collaborates with rural education representatives to advocate on behalf of Greater Minnesota schools on a federal level and improve the state of the rural education across America.

MREA each year also personally visits with federal lawmakers in Washington D.C. on key education issues and helps shape the national rural E-12 platform. MREA is a member of the NREAC, a national coalition of state and national organizations advocating for educational opportunities for children who live in the rural areas of the United States.

The NREAC, which MREA is a member of, currently has four key priorities:

  • Preserve critical federal funding for rural schools
  • Expand and improve federal programs to address teacher shortages in rural communities
  • Fully fund IDEA
  • Protect rural schools from privatization schemes

Each of these goals fits well within the needs of rural schools in Minnesota.

Resource Center

The U.S. Department of Education has a Rural Education Resource Center. See resources.

Monthly Federal Updates

U.S. Department of Education, Education Almanac

View the latest update

Recent News on Federal Issues

2023 Legislative Session Concludes

| Achievement & Assessment, Capitol News, Federal, Funding Student Needs, Other Rural News, 一 Featured, 一 HP Funding Student Needs | No Comments
2023 Legislative Session Concludes  For the first time in a decade, the legislature and Governor concluded all state government budget work on time, with no need for a special session...

2023 Legislative Session Adjournment Day

| Achievement & Assessment, Capitol News, Federal, Funding Student Needs, Other Rural News, 一 Featured, 一 HP Funding Student Needs | No Comments
2023 Legislative Session Adjournment Day  In recent years we have become accustomed to a massive flurry of last-minute legislative activity during the final weekend of a session, including a scramble...

Education Conference Committee Finalizes the Omnibus Education Bill

| Achievement & Assessment, Capitol News, Federal, Funding Student Needs, Other Rural News, 一 Featured, 一 HP Funding Student Needs | No Comments
Education Conference Committee Finalizes the Omnibus Education Bill Last Thursday night, the Education Conference Committee produced a spreadsheet outlining how they would spend the nearly $5.5 billion budget target at...

Conference Committee Deliberations in Full Swing

| Achievement & Assessment, Capitol News, Federal, Funding Student Needs, Other Rural News, 一 Featured, 一 HP Funding Student Needs | No Comments
Conference Committee Deliberations in Full Swing Two weeks remain before the legislature’s required end date of May 22. Conference committees have been appointed and started meeting last week. Many of...